One of the most common reasons that there is a Legionella outbreak is that there are poor, or no, preventative measures in place to prevent this growth by those who need to maintain a healthy water system. Many local areas have regulations on how to prevent legionella to make sure that others are safe when they consume and use the water in that property and it is important for preventive measures to be used ahead of time.

You should work with a Legionella prevention plan to make sure that Legionella is not growing in your water tower. There are many states, including New York, that require routine testing every few months to make sure that Legionella is not present at all. It is still a good idea to have this plan and to keep the water safe even if it is not required in your area.

A good thing to add into your Legionella prevention plan is a risk assessment. This will help you figure out whether there is the potential for Legionella growing in the water tower in the first place. Having a plan to check and control these things will keep your water safe. Some of the things to consider when doing this risk assessment includes:

# Water storage: It is possible for Legionella to multiply in wet and enclosed areas. This is true if you re-circulate the water or if it is stored so be careful with this.

# Temperature: Bacteria will grow in a certain temperature so it is best to keep the temperatures either lower than this or above this to discourage the growth.

# Nutrients: Legionella is going to need certain nutrients to help them survive. Rust, sludge, algae, and limescale can all act as food for the Legionella. If you have these present along with warm conditions, the Legionella is going to grow.

# Water use: The potential threat of this bacteria is something to consider if the water is going to be used for showering or consumed in any form. When it reaches a human, it can make them really sick if you are not careful.

Legionella is a serious problem and if it is left untreated, it is going to grow enough that it can make those who consume the water very sick. This is never a good thing and will put the person who owns the property at risk of being sued and held liable. With a good Legionella prevention plan, you will be able to prevent the spread of Legionella and keep everyone safe.